Kabbalah leaders claim a rash of negative stories — including the collapse of Madonna‘s Raising Malawi charity, lawsuits and a reported IRS investigation — can be blamed on disgruntled former members who “have now turned against us.”
In an e-mail to members of the Kabbalah Centre yesterday, Karen Berg, wife of center founder Philip Berg, wrote: “It is especially painful and disappointing that there appears to be a small group of individuals who are trying to discredit The Kabbalah Centre. We consider all our students to be part of our family — including those who have now turned against us.
“In sharing Kabbalah with the world for the last 40 years, we learned the many ways chaos and darkness can manifest themselves. . . . We understand that the darkest part of the night is just before the dawn.”
Madonna founded Raising Malawi with Michael Berg, son of Karen and Philip, in 2006. They’ve now scrapped plans to build a $15 million girls’ school after $3.8 million was spent without breaking ground, and are being sued by eight workers.
Berg said the center’s “formal role with Raising Malawi has come to a conclusion.” She had tough words after Showbiz 411’s Roger Friedman reported the center and the Bergs were being probed by the IRS.
She wrote, “An Internet blogger, who regularly trafficks in rumors about the entertainment industry, has written that there is a federal inquiry underway . . . We have received no formal or official notification from the government . . . but we fully intend to work cooperatively to support an examination of our activities.”
Kabbalah Centre lawyer Mathew S. Rosengart added last night, “The center has still not received any official notification of any investigation.” We reported last year that the center had been hit by false rumors of a sex scandal which were blamed on a disgruntled former student.
A different student told us last night, “Somebody has turned against us and is doing everything he can to destroy us. Will Madonna be here to worship this weekend or will the scandal force her away?”